They are as much a part of the New York City landscape as the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Times Square. But the presence of street vendors along New York City’s posh Fifth Avenue corridor gave Donald Trump heartburn in the early 1990s. Back then, he, along with other local business leaders, urged city and state officials to restrict vendor access to Fifth Avenue, including the space in front of Trump Tower. One target of his lobbying efforts included a special class of business operators: disabled veteran street vendors.

“While disabled veterans should be given every opportunity to earn a living, is it fair to do so to the detriment of the city as a whole or its tax paying citizens and businesses?” Trump wrote in a 1991 letter obtained by the New York Daily News. “Do we allow Fifth Ave., one of the world’s finest and most luxurious shopping districts, to be turned into an outdoor flea market, clogging and seriously downgrading the area?”

The fight went back to an 19th-century law that gave every veteran in New York the right to “hawk, peddle and vend any goods, wares or merchandise” throughout the state. Designed to create economic opportunities for Civil War veterans, the law has been amended a number of times at various state and city levels. Advocacy groups say what remains today is an overly complicated legal system that has, in fact, discouraged veterans from obtaining this protected license. Of New York City’s 2,555 general vendor licenses, only 105—and only those held by disabled veterans—permit work in the so-called "midtown core," a restricted zone created in the 1990s in part to respond to lobbying efforts of the Fifth Avenue Association. It’s a flawed process, veteran street vendors say. Not only is the number too low, but it has led to abuse of some disabled veterans through corruptive “rent-a-vet” schemes where civilian operators pay veterans to use their licenses in this prized area.

Politico photographer M. Scott Mahaskey walked the streets of New York City to document these vendors, who today battle cops, long hours and meager compensation—and many of whom still have fresh memories of Trump’s war against them.

Above, former Marine Dan Rossi, a disabled veteran and longtime New York City street vendor, cleans his food cart while setting up outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 17. Rossi, who has struggled to keep his carts on the streets due to tightening state and city rules, puts the blame on Trump and the Fifth Avenue Association for unfairly targeting vendors. Rossi says of Trump, “He’s done more damage to the disabled veterans in this city than any other man.”

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Former Marine Dan Rossi, a disabled veteran and longtime city street vendor, waits for customers outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 17. Rossi once held about 500 permits to vend throughout the city and ran a successful food cart manufacturing business. But in the early 1990s, a new law restricted individuals from holding more than one permit, and Rossi eventually lost his business. Today, Rossi operates just one cart and blames the Fifth Avenue Association for destroying his quality of life.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Former Marine Dominic Raiano stands by a cart operated under his license on May 16 near Central Park. Frustrated at the current political climate, Raiano said, “I don’t even know if I’m going to vote this year.”

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Raiano shows a photograph in his wallet from his time in the Marine Corps.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Frank Bruno, a Vietnam veteran and former Navy SEAL, has worked the streets for more than 18 years, including outside Trump Tower. Here he stands near the Apple Store in New York City on May 16.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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John Bellew, an Army veteran and avid Trump supporter, teases longtime street vendor and friend Frank Bruno, a Vietnam veteran and former Navy SEAL, near the Apple Store in New York City on May 16. Bruno, who used to vend outside Trump Tower, had to move his stand years ago after Trump and other business leaders successfully lobbied for more restrictions on street vendors along Fifth Avenue.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Above, a booth operated by Diane Irby, whose deceased disabled Army veteran husband, Henry Ibry, holds a disabled vet vendor license. Laws allow for a license to be transferred to a spouse following the death of a veteran. Irby said that her husband, who was black, was constantly harassed by police while vending along Fifth Avenue back in the 90s.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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A chair, presumably set for a disabled veteran, rests alongside Grand Army Plaza in New York City. It is common practice for disabled veteran vendors to “rent” their licenses to other vendors, but laws require them to be present when the food cart is operational. When I asked about the whereabouts of this vendor's license holder, I was told he had taken the day off.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Barbara Morris, 68, whose Navy vet husband John Morris died in 2009, prepares hotdogs outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 17. Under existing laws, the spouse of a disabled veteran may continue to operate a food cart upon the veteran’s death.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Felton Caviness Jr., a disabled Army veteran, sells merchandise in the heart of Times Square on May 16. Caviness said he works to help support his 15 children, three of whom will attend college.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Dondi McKellar, a disabled Navy veteran who served from 1981 to 1985, walks to the offices of the Street Vendor Project, where he serves as the chairman for the group’s veteran committee, on May 16. McKellar began selling bottles of bubbles along the streets in 2004 but is taking time away from that job to serve as an advocate for veteran street vending issues and recently launched a program to educate veterans on the business of street vending. Bubbles, McKellar said, just made him happy, and he wanted to share that joy in the products he sold.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

2016-05-26T03:33-04002016-05-26T03:33-0400

A planter is visible at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 56th Street outside Trump Tower in New York City. The planters placed along Fifth Avenue effectively prevent street vendors from setting up their operations but may also be in violation of certain city codes. According to Matt Shapiro, a lawyer with the Street Vendor Project, the planter in the crosswalk may be too close to the building.

M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO

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Planters installed in front of Trump Tower prevent street vendors from setting up shop. Additional security measures—metal barriers—were added along Fifth Avenue when Trump’s campaign took on Secret Service protection.